WKU students will soon be able to move meal swipes over to fellow Hilltoppers’ accounts. 

“Swipe it Forward” is a program that will allow students to donate and request meal swipes, said WKU Student Government Association Chief of Staff Maggie Yelton. The program was one of many things SGA executives discussed with the Herald Editorial Board on Wednesday. 

Students can donate up to three swipes a semester. Students on any “traditional” meal plans — VIP All Access, All Access, Weekly 14 and 10, Block 50 and 80 — will be able to donate swipes, according to a document provided by Yelton.

The meal assistance program was implemented to “provide limited meals to students in need of an immediate meal,” according to the document. Students can use meal swipes donated to them at the Fresh Food Company on campus.

“(It’s) kind of like recycling, everyone’s already buying their meal plans and everything, but some people might not have them,” Yelton said. 

According to the document, students “needing assistance” through donations will fill out a food assistance form. Students who want to donate will fill out a meal swipe donation form. 

Yelton said the program, sponsored by the WKU Restaurant Group, is live but awaiting a link that will be posted on the SGA website. SGA President Rush Robinson told the Herald he expects “Swipe it Forward” to be on the iWKU app, “among other places in the next couple weeks.”

SGA Elections

Fall SGA elections are set to open Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 4 p.m. and close Friday, Sept. 19, at 4 p.m.

SGA Chief Justice Blake Graham said he hosted the first code meeting, a required meeting for candidates to learn election codes, on Monday and hosted the final code meeting on Wednesday evening. Graham said around 30 people attended the first code meeting, which he said exceeded the usual turnout for fall election meetings. 

“It’s an exciting time right now,” Graham said. 

There are three freshmen senate seats, one Gatton seat, one international student seat and one graduate student seat open during the election, according to an Instagram post by SGA. 

Robinson said SGA is using fall elections as a “trial run” for new things to SGA. He said SGA elections have historically fallen on Monday and Tuesday, but this election is scheduled for later in the week. 

Graham said SGA is “getting the process started” for elections. 

“You may have seen some chalking or posters for candidates pop up around campus slowly,” Graham said. “It’ll get going here this next week… we’re looking for a pretty big turnout too.”

Organizational Aid

SGA executives encouraged students to apply for SGA’s Organizational Aid program, which awards $20,000 a year to registered student organizations (RSOs). 

“A lot of these organizations that get funding (from Organizational Aid) don’t get funding from other places,” Robinson said.

Chief Financial Officer Gabriel Jerdon said SGA has eight members on the board to review and vote on applications for the aid. He said the committee takes into account financial dependence, how often the RSO meets and other data. The application also requires an itemized budget for how the money, if awarded, would be spent.

Graham is the president of the WKU Pre-Law Student Association, which SGA awarded aid to last year through the program. 

“We really heavily relied on the money we got from Org. Aid to host our achievers banquet that we had at the end of the year, which is basically a celebration of all the club’s achievements,” Graham said.

Applications for Organizational Aid must be turned in by Sept. 19 at 5 p.m. The form can be found here.

‘Chill Vibes’

Robinson is encouraging “chill vibes” in the organization during the first month of his tenure. 

“I do not want SGA to be its own self-serving thing,” Robinson said. “I want all of the students to feel like students can come in and just chill.”

Student Body Vice President Savanna Kurtz wants Hilltoppers to know all SGA committee meetings are open, and wants to see more students in the SGA office in Downing Student Union.

“Coming to regular meetings is a great way to get your name out there with those people that are already in SGA, and they can help you further along down the line if you do want to run in the election,” Kurtz said. “The big thing is our office is always open, and we’re always willing to talk and we’re always willing to hang out.”

Kurtz said a specific event made to encourage more student engagement was the SGA meet and greet Tuesday.

Graham said SGA began fostering engagement with freshmen very early this semester, and tabled outside a late-night breakfast at WKU Master Plan. 

“We did a bunch of stuff, starting all the way back in Master Plan, just providing ourselves as a resource and make the new freshmen aware,” Graham said.